string action low or high?

[Yellow's]

yup. you people prefer it low or high?

my guitar teacher told me to make it higher cause if i wanna record or sth it'll have alot of unwanted noise if the action is low. and now my string action is quite high sometimes i kinda find it quite annoying when i wanna play fast riffs

 

[River]

Define "high", "low", and "sth". If it doesn't work for you, change it. What's this got to do with "Epiphone Les Pauls"?

 

[Yellow's]

High means the action is quite high?? low means nearly touching the fret?
and that sth is like i wanna do other stuffs like post a vid on youtube..etc.

oh ya.. my guitar is a epiphone les paul custom classic.

 

[-=[Shifty]=-]

sth?

 

[KY_GuitarMan]

yup. you people prefer it low or high?

my guitar teacher told me to make it higher cause if i wanna record or sth it'll have alot of unwanted noise if the action is low. and now my string action is quite high sometimes i kinda find it quite annoying when i wanna play fast riffs

High action sucks. I'm a blues guitarist so I do keep the action on one of my epi les pauls much higher than the others but I use that guitar for slide playing. That's the only reason I can think of for high action. Otherwise it sucks and affects speed.

 

[Yellow's]

ok sorry i didn't state it clearly.. sth = something

 

[-=[Shifty]=-]

ok sorry i didn't state it clearly.. sth = something

Now we're getting somewhere. Try capitalizing and using "," and "." every now and then, and we're almost good.

Anyway, I prefer my action low. It takes a lot of practice to not produce unwanted noise with low action, though.

Here's a pic to give you an idea about the action on my LPs.

 

[MIJ]

It is a matter of choice and preference. The main difference is high means more volume and clarity and you can get a finger under the string so bending the string can be easier in some cases. Low means easier to play and less volume. However your amp is loud enough, no? Also, too low and your notes start to buzz.

On my Clapton strat I keep the action pretty high because the neck shape prohibits bending if your action is too low. Also I play a little game with myself by making my guitar a little harder to play I slow myself down and pay more attention to individual notes. In other words, higher action lets me nurse each note for all it is worth.

On my Elitist, I want the action as low as possible because it is just fun to shred on this guitar. I use my strat more for rythym playing.

 

[-=[Shifty]=-]

It is a matter of choice and preference. The main difference is high means more volume and clarity and you can get a finger under the string so bending the string can be easier in some cases. Low means easier to play and less volume. However your amp is loud enough, no? Also, too low and your notes start to buzz.

Can you please elaborate? Why should my guitar be louder with high action?

 

[Dolebludger]

As an aside, I'd suggest lowering the action to the point where one or more frets start to buzz on any string, bent or unbent. Then raise the action until the buzz goes away. A common complaint about Epis (and I had this) were uneven frets so that the action wouldn't go as low, without buzzing, as with my other guitars. This can be cured, if need be, by going to a luthier and getting a fret leveling/finishing job. I actually find that lowering the strings increases volume because it puts the strings closer to the pups. So, you tone may get harsher after lowering the strings unless you lower the pups. Personally, I like the action as low as it will go without buzz (and after fret job) as I have small hands. Others may like a higher action. We all have to experiment around to find the action we like.

 

[MIJ]

Can you please elaborate? Why should my guitar be louder with high action?

If you want a lesson in basic guitar set up than go look it up.

 

[MIJ]

As an aside, I'd suggest lowering the action to the point where one or more frets start to buzz on any string, bent or unbent. Then raise the action until the buzz goes away. A common complaint about Epis (and I had this) were uneven frets so that the action wouldn't go as low, without buzzing, as with my other guitars. This can be cured, if need be, by going to a luthier and getting a fret leveling/finishing job. I actually find that lowering the strings increases volume because it puts the strings closer to the pups. So, you tone may get harsher after lowering the strings unless you lower the pups. Personally, I like the action as low as it will go without buzz (and after fret job) as I have small hands. Others may like a higher action. We all have to experiment around to find the action we like.

Better tone is probably a more accurate way of describing higher string action. I think it does not matter much on an electric but it does on an accoustic.

 

[Hairless_Ape]

If you want a lesson in basic guitar set up than go look it up.

WOW...as a newb you should probably watch who you're mouthing off too. Way to make friends!

 

[stevie777]

Originally Posted by -=[Shifty]=- View Post
Can you please elaborate? Why should my guitar be louder with high action?

If you want a lesson in basic guitar set up than go look it up.

here we go!!!.....popcorn out, reclining chair........reclined,,,,,,let the madness
begin!.......

 

[AmazingJourney]

If you want a lesson in basic guitar set up than go look it up.

wow, a litte testy today...

 

[MIJ]

WOW...as a newb you should probably watch who you're mouthing off too. Way to make friends!

It seems to me it was a sarcastic question. And when you say newbie, I am not really sure that has any significance to me. Maybe it does to you as a fellow newbie with 60 posts? I certainly don't lose sleep over what random people think or don't think about me.

Tell you what, if it was a sincere question than I will list what it says in the Guitar handbook, which is one of a dozen old books I have lying around about guitars.

Raise string height for:

Increased volume and tone
Ideal for rhythm playing

Lower Action for:

Faster lead playing
Volume and tone may be slightly impaired

 

[MIJ]

wow, a litte testy today...

That particular poster seems to elicit that response in me.

Like I said, the question has now been answered if it was indeed a sincere question.

 

[AngryHatter]

Define "high", "low", and "sth". If it doesn't work for you, change it. What's this got to do with "Epiphone Les Pauls"?

Epis have Elitist action and Gibson have Custom action?


Op - as low as possible.

 

[Barker]

I will answer this question by simply saying I like my action a little on the high side, at least that's what people who have seen my guitars describe it as! To me it's just right...

All right back to the show......!

 

[AngryHatter]

String height only affects volume if the strings are SO low as to stop vibrating because of the magnets "grabbing" them.

Other wise it has nothing to do with volume.

Is that an old MEL BAY book?